The Carousel
by yesfangirlingismylife
Summary: *One-Shot* Tobias is in Afghanistan, and he is supposed to return next month to his wife, Tris, and daughter, Maysie. His permanent homecoming is earlier than expected, and he surprises them when they're at the carousel. And you know what they say: There's always magic in a carousel.


_I want to thank all those whose family members have served in the military, because that is one of the most honorable things a man or woman can do. Dedicated to all who have served._

**The Carousel**

Tris was at the carousel with her daughter. She and Maysie went there every Saturday from 2-4 o'clock ever since she was three years old, and she's now four. Tris loved her daughter with every ounce her heart weighed. Well, maybe _half _her heart, because there's no way she could possibly choose between Tobias and Maysie. But since Tobias was in Afghanistan right now, Maysie just had her mother.

Tris was just twenty-three when she had Maysie, but she and Tobias had only been married for a month. Even though Maysie was a surprise, both Tobias and Tris were overjoyed.

In fact, Tobias even cried a little, but that was supposed to be their little secret. Luckily when she was giving birth Tobias was right by her side, not halfway across the world fighting for his life. But just three weeks after that he was sent back across the pond. They'd seen him twice since then, but Tris never stopped loving him. They Skyped as much as possible. Tobias read Maysie some bedtime stories off the top of his head too, and, weirdly enough, it made Tris want to burst out into tears. But just one more month and he'd be home for good. Tris thought this would be the longest month of her life, but eventually the time would come.

"Can we get 20 tickets, please?" Tris asked the woman in the gate.

The woman ripped the tickets as Tris slid the ten dollar bill under the glass. They were fifty cents per ride. The woman gave Tris the tickets, and she thanked her.

"Mommy." Maysie was tugging on Tris's shorts. "Let's go." She had a wide grin on her face an was jumping up and down ecstatically.

"I know, I know. We have to wait for this round to finish though, hon."

The breeze blew in the windy city of Chicago, and Maysie's brunette hair was blowing in her face. Maisie had her father's hair and her mother's eyes. Tris grabbed a hair tie and quickly braided her hair, because that's something Maysie always had liked. When Tris finished, so did the carousel. She handed the two tickets to the man, and she and her daughter stepped onto the platform.

"Mommy, Mommy! I want zebra!"

"Okay, you can have the zebra, honey," Tris chuckled. She helped Maysie climb onto it, and sat on the lion next to her. "Make you sure you hold on, okay? I don't want you to fall off."

_"__Mommy," _she said. "I _done_ this a _bajillion _times," Maysie said, using extra emphasis.

"I know, baby, but I just love you so much and can't let anything happen to you, okay?" Tris smiled.

"I wuv you too, Mommy. But I not a _baby_. I a big girl, okay, Mommy?"

They were on round five of ten, and so far Maysie had taken the zebra, lion, tiger, mermaid (Tris didn't know why there'd be a mermaid here, but she went with it), and a giraffe. They were just stepping off of the platform, and Maysie asked why Tris loved her so much.

"Because you are the cutest, most sweetest little girl I've ever seen. And…"—Tris picked her up and started tickling her a little—"I'm gonna hug you and kiss you and squeeze you and love you until your name's George. What's your name?"

"George!" Maysie laughed. And hugged her mother. These were the moments Tris loved with her daughter. She enjoyed every one of them, but this one she knew she'd remember.

Tris set her down, and began to walk toward the gate to get on again, but she stopped in her tracks.

And all she saw was a man leaning against a lamppost smiling in his camouflage uniform.

Tris's hands flew over her mouth, and she couldn't move. She couldn't move.

"Daddy!" Maysie yelled and started running toward him.

Tris's eyes started watering, and still, she couldn't move. She watched Tobias pick their daughter up and hug her tight, and she thought she saw a little shine in his eyes.

Too many things were going through Tris's head, and she still was immobile. She was crying now, tears running down her face, and she was pretty sure her family had captured the attention of most of the families outside. In fact, a few gathered around. Tobias set down Maysie and held her hand. He slowly walked over to Tris, sadly smiling. Tris lowered her hands to her sides, and they were visibly shaking.

Tobias didn't say anything; just hugged her. She sobbed into his shoulder and they wrapped their arms around each other's waist. Maysie was down at their feet, and she was wrapping her arms around both of their legs.

The first words Tris said to him since his homecoming was, "I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, hon. I missed you so much," he said back, then he kissed her. "I really didn't want to keep this PG, but since we have an audience, I guess I have to."

Tobias squatted down to Maysie as Tris looked at their little crowd. It was silent. Until Maysie.

She was hugging Tobias again, and she said, "Daddy. I miss you, Daddy."

Multiple "aw"s came from the people, and some started walking away. Most did, actually.

"I can't believe you…," Tris said, "and you're here, and…I can't believe you're here. Damn it, Tobias," Tris cried and hugged her husband again. "I'm not letting you go ever again. Never."

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not. I love you too much. And"—Tobias briefly let go and picked up Maysie—"I love you too much. I missed you, little girl." He kissed her head.

"Daddy," Maysie said, "I not a little girl. I a big girl."

"You will _always _be my little girl. You aren't allowed to grow up."

"But Daddy!" she whined.

"I know, I know, someday you will, but I think I'll hold on for as long as possible."

"I love you, Daddy," Maysie said, hugging him again.

Tobias smiled. "I love you _both. _You are my girls. And nobody else can have you guys."


End file.
